


That Left Unspoken

by dreamingthroughwords



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, but it's indirectly there so being safe w the spoilers, i don't outright spoil anything directly, i read it and immediately needed to write this, post mechonis core spoilers, sort of a rewrite of that story from the monado archives, wanted to try my hand at some one fic so here we go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28528332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingthroughwords/pseuds/dreamingthroughwords
Summary: When Melia comforts Fiora during a restless night, Melia gets caught up in her feelings, and realizes what these feelings may actually mean.
Relationships: Melia Ancient | Melia Antiqua/Fiora
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	That Left Unspoken

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! While Mòrag/Brighid may captured me very very immensely and I love them alot, I adore Melia/Fiora, and they've been something I've really wanted to write, so here this is. Seriously, when I played 1, all of Melia and Fiora's interactions made me very interested in their relationship, and some of my own headcanons aside, lead me to want to try and write them. Especially after discovering that story in the Monado Archives, and just how protective Melia was in that made me want to re-write it, in a sense, so here it is!
> 
> Enjoy!

Melia was used to being roused from sleep during their recent travels. Years of quiet during the night turned into a multitude of shifting, snoring, and countless other bothersome sounds that her companions would make in their sleep. Though she’ll admit, she misses that peace and quiet, she does not want to go back to those silent nights.

Though, she did have more before all of this happened….but, she cannot dwell. Melia does not have time to think about the past, why everything had happened. She needs to focus on now.

And right now, the sound that had awoken her tonight was a familiar cry of pain.

Melia shifts, carefully raising her hands to pat down her wings, fluffed up from sleep. Sharla is still snoring quietly next to her. Melia moves carefully, as to not awaken the medic, and moves to the left, towards the sound of rapid breathing coming from where Fiora’s bed.

This had happened the past couple of nights they’d been in Colony 9—Fiora would cry out in her sleep, in pain, and Melia could do nothing. She’d just watch, feeling helpless—like so many other times in the past week, as someone she cared deeply about was hurting. It made her feel emotions stronger than she knew how to deal with—Fiora was strong, taking everything in stride….having her body taken away from her; the constant knowledge that her time was limited. 

Melia’s heart ached thinking about it. Fiora was so kind, so sweet and empathetic to everyone—if there was anyone who did not deserve this, it was Fiora. 

Melia had thought, initially, that she was jealous of Fiora—there were so many attributes of her personality that Melia admired, that she wished she had herself. But, Melia was starting to realize it may not be jealousy after all.

It’s just that she did not know exactly what those feelings were. They were confusing—she hadn’t felt anything so strongly, so used to her life of isolation and loneliness and royal duties. Everything was so new to her, overwhelming almost. 

Even if she didn’t know these feelings, how to articulate them—she can do her best to be there for Fiora. Because damn her and everything if she loses someone else. 

Melia sets herself to the side of Fiora’s bed, kneeling so they are face to face. Fiora does not look peaceful in sleep, eyebrows scrunched in pain. Melia raises her hand for the fifth night in a row to check for a fever—Sharla had taught her some basics of checking for illness, how to properly check each gland and inch of someone to ensure they’re healthy—and found Fiora’s forehead a normal temperature. No fever, no sweat….just pain. 

For the fifth night in a row, Melia was helpless. There was nothing she hated more. Tonight, she felt more upset than she had the previous nights. How had Fiora managed to still go on, during those past five days, only with fitful nights of sleep as rest? 

Melia  _ wants to do something.  _ But is there anything she can do?

A thought crosses her mind….but is it too much? 

As Melia is caught in her mind, Fiora’s breathing seems to quicken, before shifting in what appears to be even more pain.

No, no more time to dwell.

For the first time in these five nights, Melia takes Fiora’s hand. It’s cold, as Melia would expect from the metal coating it, but it’s comforting, somehow.

Melia is surprised when it seems that Fiora has slightly calmed, too. 

Could this be…enough, for now?

Melia knows they need to do more. Constant research, looking everywhere for a solution—but still, right now, this is all she can think of.

As Melia looks down at Fiora, she sees that her expression is the most serene she’s seen since she’d met the girl. Melia finds her heart flutters and her cheeks warm, but she doesn’t what it means.

Or…she does, she just…does not know how to handle it.

Melia finds herself smiling softly, and bites her lip. If holding Fiora’s hand had calmed the girl…..

Melia hesitates, but decides to reach up, and brushes her short hair away from her face. Fiora shifts closer to her in sleep, and Melia takes that as a sign to keep going. 

Melia may be tired in the morning, but it’s worth it to see Fiora rest well for once.

As she continues to brush Fiora’s hair back and hold her hand, a silhouette passes by the window—one distinctly Shulk shaped.

Like that, Melia’s calm demeanor shifts to anger. Where is he going, in the middle of the night, when Fiora is in so much pain?

Should he not be the one in her place? A flash of jealousy flares up in Melia as she thinks that.

Maybe…maybe she will gladly take the place of ensuring Fiora’s comfort.

But that does not change the fact she’s the only one to  _ notice.  _

She always is—burdened with being the one able to read right through everyone else. 

In the flurry of all her emotions she still cannot comprehend, Melia stands up, drawing her hand back from Fiora’s hair and releasing her hand. Melia does not want to leave….but she needs to follow Shulk, yell at him, because  _ what is he doing, he should be— _

A cold hand reaches out and grabs hers. Melia starts in surprise, turning back around to see that Fiora had reached out for her. 

Like that, that feeling of anger dissipates, transforming to concern and something else.

Melia stops for a moment, contemplating what to do next. Does this mean that Fiora wanted her to stay…? She did enjoy holding her hand, if she were honest with herself.

“Melia….?” 

Fiora’s soft voice interrupted her thoughts, and her decision was final. Melia turns fully now, resuming her previous position kneeling beside Fiora’s beside.

Face to face again, Fiora’s eyes were slightly open, still adjusting to the dark of the night. 

Melia raises a hand once again, and against her better judgement, brushes more of Fiora’s hair away from her forehead. Fiora’s eyes fully open, vibrant green meeting subdued blue. Melia feels herself blush in embarrassment, hers and Fiora’s eyes still connected, but as Melia begins to move her hand away, Fiora’s other hand grasps hers, and places it against the back of her head.

Fiora’s smiling softly now, that one that Melia has noticed only appears when Fiora is truly comfortable. Could that be true….she is the one attributing so much to Fiora’s comfort?

Fiora breaks the silence, whispering as to not wake Sharla. “That helps more than you think,” the blonde breathes, moving slightly in the bed.

Melia blinks. It takes her a minute for her thoughts to gather. “I…am glad that it helped. You…seemed to be in quite some pain. It was the right thing to do. Though, I apologize for waking you. That seems rather counterproductive.”

Fiora giggles, and Melia realizes how much she likes the sound. She wants to hear it more often. 

“No, it’s okay. It wasn’t exactly a restful sleep anyways,” Fiora continues, a grimace appearing on her face as she switches positions to her side. As she adjusts one of her legs, Fiora lets out a small yelp, and Melia is on her feet, hand still entwined with Fiora’s.

“Fiora? Are you all right? Do you need me to wake—“

“It’s fine! I’m fine,” Fiora breathes, still smiling though her voice sounds a bit weaker than a moment ago. “I’m used to it, by now.”

Melia’s brows furrow. “It is not something you should have to get used to,” Melia mutters, but realizes that it may have been a bit tactless. “I am sorry. It’s just…I do not like seeing you in pain,” Melia manages, and when did she become this forward?

“You apologize too much, Melia.” Fiora seems comfortable now, and she squeezes Melia’s hand. 

They sit in silence once again, while Fiora calms her breathing and Melia continues stroking her fingers through blonde locks. Fiora is quite beautiful, face only illuminated by the small lantern in the corner of the room and the glow of the ether lamps through the open window. 

Melia realizes she’s staring, and abruptly stands. “Do you feel better now?” 

Fiora sighs, and Melia thinks she sounds quite content. “Yes, much. Thank you, Melia. If I’m honest, this is the least pain I’ve been in a while…”

Melia is about to tell Fiora not to talk like that, that she can’t just accept this fate that someone else chose for her—isn’t that what their whole mission is about, choosing for themselves?—when Fiora squeezes her hand once again, and Melia calms, and squeezes back. “It’s nice to know that you’re here for me, Melia, even in sleep….”

Fiora trails off, eyes shifting away from Melia’s. Melia waits, and can tell that Fiora wants to say something else.

“Do you think you could lay with me?” Fiora asks, and when her eyes meet Melia’s again, she knows that Fiora was met with quite the look of surprise.

“I…are you sure? That will not disrupt your sleep even more?” Melia’s chest aches at the idea of laying with Fiora. They’d slept near each other before, but that was always on cold ground and in tight spaces surrounded by everyone else. In her own bed, in her childhood home? That is something else entirely. 

“Mhmm,” is all Fiora says as she pulls back the covers and pats the side. 

Melia bites her lip and taps her foot. Why is she so nervous? She is doing this to help Fiora, that is all.

Yet, she does not feel this fluttery when helping any of their other companions…

She’ll think about that later. Fiora needs her now.

Melia maneuvers into the spot that Fiora made for her, and she realizes their hands had not separated this entire time. Melia grabs the covers and pulls them over Fiora first, ensuring she gets the most warmth, before adjusting them around herself. Fiora adjusts herself so her back is to Melia. Melia moves forward, hesitating only a moment before placing herself against Fiora’s back, wrapping her arms around the taller girl’s torso. Fiora adjusts her hold so that both of her hands are around Melia’s, and lifts the High Entia’s hands directly over the spot where Meyneth’s Monado had been. Fiora’s chin presses against Melia’s hands, and Melia feels content. 

She can feel Fiora’s breathing, calm and slow, and Melia shifts so that her head lies above the blonde. Fiora is taller, so it’s a bit awkward, but Melia finds just the right angle, and finds that it is quite comforting, holding someone else during sleep.

“Is this alright?” Melia asks, and she thinks Fiora shifts a bit closer.

“More than alright,” Fiora says, and Melia smiles into her hair. “Melia….thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“It is the least that I can do, Fiora, after what you’ve done for all of us.”

“Melia…” Fiora whispers, and Melia can tell she is about to drift off to sleep. “Can we…keep doing this? It really is nice.”

Melia’s heart flutters at Fiora’s voice and the thought of laying like this again. She knows the answer immediately.

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Melia.” 

Fiora’s breathing slows, and Melia knows that she is fully asleep. Melia holds just a bit tighter, and speaks softly into her hair. “Goodnight, Fiora.”

Maybe, they actually stand a chance. They’ve all been through so much together, unimaginable hardships and pain. But right now, Melia thinks, is the most comfort she has felt in a very, very, long time.

Melia can only hope that their future will be somewhat like this.

No, actually. 

She’ll make sure of it—whatever it takes.

They will win.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! As always, constructive criticism, kudos/comments are appreciated! Have a lovely day/night and hope you're doing well!


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